Lead, one of the most toxic heavy metals, takes longer time to be excreted from the body than other heavy metals. The purpose of this study is, by measuring lead excretion via urine and feces, to find out the effect of vitamin C in lead chelation. Thirty-six rats were randomly assorted into four groups. All 33 rats except for the control group were administered with lead, before orally administered with different doses of vitamin C per kilogram of body weight. The lead excretion levels in urine and feces as well as the survival rate were then measured for each group. The rats with lead administrations (10/13, 76.9%) with lead administrations only, 10/11 rats (90.9%) with lead administrations and low dose of vitamin C, 9/9 rats (100%) with lead administrations and high dose of vitamin C survived. Among the 29 surviving rats, low vitamin C intake group exhibited higher urinary excretion than the lead only group. The urinary excretion level in high dose vitamin C intakegroup was significantly higher than the lead only group. In addition, fecal lead excretion seemed to be increased in the high dose vitamin C intake group, compared to the group with lead administrations only with statistical significance. Through animal experiment, it was found out that administrating high dose of vitamin C accelerated the excretion of lead in body compared to low dose of vitamin C.
Animal Experimentation ; Animals ; Ascorbic Acid* ; Body Weight ; Feces ; Metals, Heavy ; Rats* ; Survival Rate ; Vitamins*

PURPOSE: In the nursing profession, it is imperative that students are able to transfer their undergraduate knowledge and skills into practice to become competent nurses. The aim of this study was to illuminate how infection prevention and control (IPC) education would be conducted in undergraduate nursing programs. METHODS: A qualitative design utilizing focus group interviews as its data collection method was employed. Twelve professors from twelve South Korean universities that have undergraduate nursing programs were recruited as research participants and divided into two focus groups. RESULTS: Focus group interview analysis showed that IPC education in undergraduate nursing programs for fostering IPC competency was composed of two categories: a pre-clinical course and a clinical course. Each included three subcategories-education contents, education strategies, and considerations of how infection control is taught to students as they continue from beginning to advanced-and the themes of each subcategory were derived. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study can provide an overview of how nursing professors should teach IPC education to undergraduates. As IPC education for nurses is very important, more in-depth discussions that include educators, clinical mentors, and nursing students regarding IPC education are needed to ensure patients' safety in clinical settings.
Data Collection ; Education ; Focus Groups ; Foster Home Care ; Humans ; Infection Control ; Korea ; Mentors ; Nursing ; Students, Nursing

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand the actual status of fundamentals of nursing practice (FNP) education at nursing colleges, and the difficulties of FNP operation in the early stages of the COVID-19. Methods: This study used a descriptive design. Data collection was conducted from December 9, 2020 to January 31, 2021 using the self-report questionnaire method for a total of 95 nursing colleges. The questionnaire consisted of characteristics related to FNP, changes in FNP education, difficulties in operating FNP, and countermeasures in the COVID-19 situation. Results: Changes in FNP due to COVID-19 were distribution of practice places, reduction of the number of students, short-term intensive classes, and reduction of face-to-face practice. Most colleges conducted FNP face-to-face, but some schools showed that FNP was conducted non-face-to-face. The difficulties of operating FNP that instructors experienced induced concerns about a decrease in student competency due to lack of face-to-face practice and an unofficial increase in the number of teaching hours and physical demands on instructors due to the expansion of the division. Conclusion In order to develop the capabilities of nursing students in other pandemic situations in the future, it is necessary to find systematic coping strategy to reduce the burden of FNP instructors, and to develop non-face-to-face online practice contents and consumables for online practice.